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Chapter Twenty-Six
Liana
I’d drifted off, the black furs covering the stiff bed swallowing me into their soft warmth. Kade and Finn had pressed the other beds tight on either side of mine, laying next to me, though I didn’t think they slept.
The alarm sounded just after dawn, and the blaring echo of the horn resounded in my bones. I shot out of bed, eyes wide and searching.
No.Not yet…
Kade was up in an instant, tugging his boots on. Finn hurried to buckle his sword and scabbard to his waist. I shook my head. It couldn’t be happening already. It should’ve taken another few days at the very least for the Mad King’s army to reach the borders of my court. We weren’t ready.
Iwasn’t ready.
Panicked, I inched out of the bed, my chest heaving, and mind swirling, “What’s happening? Are they here? Have they come?”
Kade snarled, tossing me my boots. “No,” he said, “The horn was only blown once. It means they’re getting close, and every able bodied Fae is to move to the front.”
“Come on,” Finn said, holding out a hand for me once I’d tied the laces. I took his icy cold hand in my own and we flew from the warmth of the cabin, taking off from the ground. Finn swung me into his arms and we were at our tent in less than a minute.
I jumped from his embrace and raced into the tent. Alaric jumped from his seat, sword drawn. When he saw it was just me, he scabbarded it again and threw a hand through his hair, “There you are,” he said with a sigh of relief. “Healer Loris is here. I told her you agreed to help. She’s waiting for you at the mill. They’re setting up the infirmary there.”
I ground my teeth but nodded. “Have you seen Silas?”
He nodded grimly, “They’ve been spotted just past the valley. They’ll be within reach of our arrows by sundown.”
A tremor stumbled up my back—radiated down my arms and settled in the violent shaking of my hands. My heart fluttered in my chest and my stomach turned sour. The skewers of boar we’d eaten the night before threatening to come back up.
“Any word from Edris?”
“No,” Tiernan answered, slipping into the tent with Kade and Finn behind me. “Nothing.”
So, this was it, then. I hadn’t truly dared to hope, but now it was clear. The Day Court wouldn’t help us.
I blew out a breath. There was no use wallowing in it. We had work to do. Steeling myself, I clenched my hands into fists, “Then we have about eight hours to get that infirmary ready to take in our wounded. Let’s get moving.”
We weresilent while we worked, the constant sound of marching boots filling our ears. Loris thanked me for offering my aid.
Shortly after we arrived at the mill, which had a long hall attached to it, the other healer arrived. But it wasn’t a woman like Alaric thought. The male had a fair complexion, light hazel eyes, and a placid disposition.
He radiated calm. And in the face of what we’d soon see, that was no small accomplishment. His name was Eros, and he worked diligently and quietly, keeping mostly to himself.
There was just one more thing that needed to be settled before I could take a free breath.
They hadn’t said a word, but I could see it in their eyes and feel it exuding from them in ribbons of emotion. My guardians were anxious. It was obvious to anyone with two eyes and half a brain.
Kade and Finn especially. They wanted to join the fight. I saw them looking out the small windows, watching the ebb and flow of the marching soldiers.
They wouldn’t go without my permission. But could I deny them the chance at retribution? Could I deny my court their twobestwarriors in one of the largest battles ever seen on Meloran?
I grew faint at the idea of letting them go. I pictured it. Saying goodbye, not knowing when orifthey would return. My stomach twisted painfully. There was one other reason they would give for their need to join the fight. Me.
Not only to protect me and my crown, but so I couldseethrough their eyes the outcome of the battle. And give orders from the relative safety of the village.
Kade looked out the window again, longing in his eyes, his chest heaving. His teeth grinding.
I tossed the pile of cloth I was tearing into bandages onto the table, “That’s it!” I howled, my skin bristling, “Out. All of you.”
Eros raised a brow at me, “Not you,” I said a little more roughly than I intended, “Them,” I clarified, pointing a finger at the four wide-eyed males helping with menial tasks like sweeping and boiling water and cleaning surgical knives.
